[Stratos]

Machdar Motorsports launched a new racing championship called the i1 Super Series. The new season shall begin on 18th December, 2011 but is subject to FIA Approval as well as approval from the track owners.

High Points:

- i1 Super Series will have 9 teams from 9 different metropolitan cities in India.

- Drivers will be selected on invitation basis only and one cannot apply to race in this championship.

- Each team will have two drivers, one of which will be an international driver and the other shall be an Indian driver with national and international experience.

- The series shall take place across 7 cities including New Delhi, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Pataya and Chennai.

- Each weekend will have 1 qualifying session and 2 races making it a total of 14 races in the championship. Race length shall not be too long.

- Each team will use the Radical SR3 race car, specs of which were not disclosed.

- The car weighs 570 kgs, 0-100 kmph @ 3 seconds, Top speed = 250 kmph.

- Information about the total investment, investors and potentials teams was not disclosed.

- Although the tyre supplier has been kept a secret, the display car sported tyres supplied by Dunlop (200 / 580 R15s).

- Winning amount is 2 million US dollars per series.

- There are 7 awards for drivers with fastest laps.

[speedmiester]

Thanks for sharing this, is there any website to find more information on this new series.

[Machdar]

Yes you can read more at i1 Super Series - A New era in Indian Motor Sports & https://www.facebook.com/i1superseries?ref=ts&sk=wall

[speedmiester]

Originally Posted by Machdar

Yes you can read more at i1 Super Series - A New era in Indian Motor Sports & https://www.facebook.com/i1superseries?ref=ts&sk=wall

Thanks for sharing the link. The series looks interesting. All the best!

[GTO]

Thanks for the super report, Stratos!

Originally Posted by Stratos

The new season shall begin on 18th December, 2011 but is subject to FIA Approval as well as approval from the track owners.

Is there enough time to get approvals & recruit drivers?

i1 Super Series will have 9 teams from 9 different metropolitan cities in India.

Aha, a la IPL! Should be fun rooting for your city.

Drivers will be selected on invitation basis only and one cannot apply to race in this championship.

Strange. What is the criteria on which selections will be made? Is this series going to promote fresh talent (I sure hope!!) or invite known, senior names?

The series shall take place across 7 cities including New Delhi, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Pataya and Chennai.

New Delhi? Meaning the Buddh F1 track? I hope Coimbatore is included as well. But perhaps, it's too tight a track for this car.

Each weekend will have 1 qualifying session and 2 races making it a total of 14 races in the championship. Race length shall not be too long.

The car weighs 570 kgs, 0-100 kmph @ 3 seconds, Top speed = 250 kmph.

- Although the tyre supplier has been kept a secret, the display car sported tyres supplied by Dunlop (200 / 580 R15s).

My guess is, it's early days yet. Negotiations must be underway with tyre manufacturers.

[Stratos]

Originally Posted by GTO

Is there enough time to get approvals & recruit drivers?

As per their management and Vicky Chandok of the FMSCI, they are positive that it will happen in the remaining time.

Originally Posted by GTO

Strange. What is the criteria on which selections will be made? Is this series going to promote fresh talent (I sure hope!!) or invite known, senior names?

The sad answer to your question is, No. It does not look like they are going to promote fresh talent. They consider this championship to be located way above in the motorsport pyramid and not something at the bottom for new comers. Plus, a particular team will also be able to select its driver(s) but again that will totally be on the basis of past experience.

[killjoy]

Nice. Why 2 seats on the car?

[kraft.wagen]

Read in the sites that they want to promote budding drivers thru this competition, if they are going to invite only experienced racers, why make such statements.

Nevertheless, this seems to be an exciting series, even more with if these are true!

The likes of two-time Formula One champion Mika Hakkinen and multiple Grand Prix winners Giancarlo Fisichella and Ralf Schumacher are set to battle it out with the cream of Indian talent in the i1 Supercar Championship across Asia from December

Narain Karthikeyan, Karun Chandhok, Armaan Ebrahim and Parthiva Sureshwaren are likely to add local flavour, while Finland’s Heikki Kovalainen, Jarno Trulli and Vitantonio Liuzzi (both from Italy) are expected to bring in foreign firepower to the the championship, which will use UK’s famous sportscars — Radicals SR3.

Apparently Sachin and Yuvi have been approached to buy teams.

[Cyrus43]

What a waste of time and money. Motorsports should be made more accessible to the common public. this is nonsense!! Its just another toy for someone who has more money than time!

[nitrous]

This is most probably an international series with just one round happening in Delhi, for the circuit.

[Sn1p3r]

I thought they were to Name it Indian Racing Series IRS. It's on same lines as IPL.
I am not too sure if this will be a profitable venture as not many Indians have taste for motorsport. A well funded A1 series can run into trouble and call it a day then I am a bit nervous about this one.

The cars are nice and nippy but instead they could have made it people sport and more accessible to promote motorsport aka VW Polo series rather than have a niche segment.

I am sure if we have track weekends on Buddha circuit, I will surely get a tuned regular hatch and participate. They should follow Silverstone/Nürburgring style pay for circuit to keep the facility alive and loyal patrons. Just my thoughts.

[srinath1965]

Looks like the Noida track will get this faster than the F1. Good going Team DCHL. This brings cheer and exitement to our group as well as all the sports fans.

[scuderiamania]

I am pretty excited about this. Want to see it do brilliantly. In my opinion, to be successful, the series should hold the races at times which are convenient. Since this series is going to be held during the winter, they might as well show the races live on Saturdays and Sundays at 5.30 in the evening. That is, when we are used to watching F1. This should be able to attract sufficient viewership in my opinion.

What do you guys feel?

[quickdraw]

The whole idea seems a bit confusing and I fail to understand their target demographic with this. Atleast the car seems fast and interesting. In either case any motorsport is better then no motorsport.

[pranavt]

It's a media exercise, not motorsport. To sell advertising space. The drivers will consist of rich kids with influential/well-connected parents and old motorsport has-beens.